Trouble lamp switch



Apr-i115, 1947. H. SAGE TROUBLE LAMP SWITCH Filed June 19, 1945 fm/ewfor Z/awa r0 Saga, ga Z1 Patented Apr. 15, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TROUBLE LAMP SWITCH Howard Sage, Cleveland Heights, Ohio application June 19, 1945, Serial No. 600,277

(Cl. ZOO-54) 2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to motor vehicle lamps, and more particularly, to a trouble lamp adapted to be mounted under the hood of a motor vehicle and to be automatically lighted when the hood is raised to inspect or repair the motor.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved motor vehicle trouble lamp of extremely simple construction which is automatic in operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved trouble lamp structure for mounting under the hood of a motor vehicle, an automatic switch device of simplified and improved structure being provided in the lamp socket for energizing the lamp responsive to the lifting of the hood.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a trouble lamp structure in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3--3 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, I designates a stationary portion of the motor compartment of a vehicle, such as a bearing flange for the motor hood 2. Hood 2 rests on stationary portion I when the hood is closed, said hood being shown in partly raised position in Figure 1. Secured to the under side of portion I is a plate 3. Fastened to plate 3 by an enlarged hollow rivet memher 4 is a lamp socket sleeve 5 formed at its lower end portion with a plurality of inturned lugs 6 and a conventional bayonet pin slot for receiving and positioning the base of a standard lamp bulb 'I in the lower end of sleeve 5.

The intermediate portion of sleeve 5 is formed with an outwardly projecting rib 8 for supporting a transparent or translucent lamp shield 9, said lamp shield being formed with a plurality of inwardly projecting lug elements Ill. The lamp shield 9 is made of resilient material such as plastic so that lug elements I may be pushed past rib 8 in mounting the shield on sleeve and will yield sufiiciently to permit removal of the shield when access is desired to lamp I. The upper end of shield 9 is slotted to provide clearance for a collar member II through which an insulated conductor I2 passes, said collar member II being secured to plate 3 by a rivet.

Conductor I2 is soldered or otherwise secured to a contact plate I3 positioned between a first fibre washer 2| and a second annular fibre washer It, said fibre washers being pressed upwardly by a large coil spring I4, said coil spring hearing at its lower end on a fibre washer I5. When a lamp base is in position in sleeve 5, fibre washer i5 is pushed slightly upwardly with respect to inturned lugs 6 by the lamp base, as shown in Figure l.

Positioned centrally of the assembly is an upwardly projecting lug I1 slidably received in hollow rivet 4 and fibre washer 2I and carrying at its lower portion an insulating bushing I3 which is provided with an annular contact ring l9. Bearing on contact ring I9 is an inverted conical coil spring 20, the lower small end of which is in registry with the central opening of fibre washer I 5, the center contact of bulb I being adapted to pass through said central opening and make contact with the lower end of said conical coil spring 2K2.

Conductor I2 is connected to the live terminal of the vehicle battery. When hood 2 is in a raised position, as shown in Figure 1, lug I? is released and lamp I is energized by the contact of annular ring I9 with contact plate I3, fibre washer It having an enlarged central opening to permit ring I9 to move therein into contact with plate IS. The center contact of lamp I is thus electrically connected through spring 20 with conductor I2.

When hood 2 is lowered it depresses lug ll,

causing ring I9 to be moved out of contact with plate I3 and thereby opens the lamp circuit.

When lamp I is removed from its socket the assembly is held in sleeve 5 by lugs (i which prevent downward movement of fibre washer I5.

While a specific embodiment of an automatic trouble lamp for a motor vehicle has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention other than as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a trouble lamp for mounting in the motor compartment of a vehicle, a socket comprising a sleeve having an inturned flange at one end and lamp base engaging means at the other, a base plate overlying the inturned flange and adapted to be mounted on a wall of the motor compartment, at rivet engaging the inturned flange and an opening in the base plate to secure the sleeve to the plate, said rivet having a central bore, a contact plate transversely disposed adjacent the inturned flange inside the sleeve and having a central aperture registering with the bore of the rivet, a plunger movable axially in the sleeve through said bore and aperture and arranged to project through an opening in a motor compartment wall on which the assembly is mounted, a second contact plate mounted on the plunger and arranged in the sleeve inwardly of the first contact plate, and spring means arranged to urge the plunger outward and the second contact plate toward the first contact plate, said spring means being arranged to electrically connect the second contact plate with a lamp base held by said baseengaging means.

2. In a trouble lamp for mounting in the motor compartment of a vehicle, a socket according to claim 1, wherein a transverse insulating plate is silclable in the sleeve inwardly of said lamp baseengaging means, said plate having an aperture for receiving the center contact of a lamp base, stop means for said plate are carried by the sleeve between said insulating plate and said base engaging means, said spring means comprise a coil spring having one end bearing on the second contact plate and the other registering with the aperture in the insulating plate for contact with the center contact of a lamp mounted in the sleeve, and a second coil spring surrounds said first coil spring and second contact plate and its ends respectively bear against the insulating plate and said first-named contact plate to urge them toward the said stop means and inturned flange.

HOWARD SAGE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

